Steven Crescini picked the perfect moment to hit his first grand slam.
With the score still scoreless between his Manteca major division A’s and intracity rival Spreckels Park Indians in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday evening at Bassi Field on the campus of Neil Hafley School, Crescini drilled a shot well over the wall in left-center.
The mammoth walk-off blast scored Tanner Peterson, Ryan Vasquez and Chuck Good before the hero came around to a massive mob of teammates and touched home himself, punctuating the A’s dramatic 4-0 victory.
Manteca remains in the hunt with back-to-back wins in the consolation bracket of the District 67 Tournament of Champions.
“It was really exciting, this is the first grand slam I ever hit,” Crescini said. “I hope I hit another one tomorrow. When I was rounding the bases, I was thinking how exciting it was and that this was a wonderful moment for me.”
Crescini was then asked what it will take to get a win when the A’s take the field in another loser’s bracket contest against another crosstown rival, Northgate, today at 6 p.m.
“It’s going to take good base running, teamwork and smart thinking,” he answered.
Crescini’s slam ruined what was an otherwise sterling performance from Indians starter Michael Garibay, who needed just 55 pitches to go the distance.
Garibay racked up four strikeouts along the way.
“We played a good game,” Garibay said.
Vasquez ended up with a double to complement his sixth inning single and Chuck Good roped a double as well.
Tyler Graves, Crescini, Joe and Matt Eavenson, and Peterson all had singles.
“It was a battle,” A’s skipper Dan Peterson said. “It went down to the last hit. Credit to their kids, I’ve never seen a kid (Garibay) pitch that few amount of pitches in six innings. He threw strikes and we tended to hit into outs.”
Good got the start for Manteca and struck out nine. Drew Zanatto and Brandon Landwehr (1 K) closed it out.
Landwehr was able to record the final out in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded.
“I have two words: Steven Crescini,” Peterson said. “He did it for us.”
With the score still scoreless between his Manteca major division A’s and intracity rival Spreckels Park Indians in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday evening at Bassi Field on the campus of Neil Hafley School, Crescini drilled a shot well over the wall in left-center.
The mammoth walk-off blast scored Tanner Peterson, Ryan Vasquez and Chuck Good before the hero came around to a massive mob of teammates and touched home himself, punctuating the A’s dramatic 4-0 victory.
Manteca remains in the hunt with back-to-back wins in the consolation bracket of the District 67 Tournament of Champions.
“It was really exciting, this is the first grand slam I ever hit,” Crescini said. “I hope I hit another one tomorrow. When I was rounding the bases, I was thinking how exciting it was and that this was a wonderful moment for me.”
Crescini was then asked what it will take to get a win when the A’s take the field in another loser’s bracket contest against another crosstown rival, Northgate, today at 6 p.m.
“It’s going to take good base running, teamwork and smart thinking,” he answered.
Crescini’s slam ruined what was an otherwise sterling performance from Indians starter Michael Garibay, who needed just 55 pitches to go the distance.
Garibay racked up four strikeouts along the way.
“We played a good game,” Garibay said.
Vasquez ended up with a double to complement his sixth inning single and Chuck Good roped a double as well.
Tyler Graves, Crescini, Joe and Matt Eavenson, and Peterson all had singles.
“It was a battle,” A’s skipper Dan Peterson said. “It went down to the last hit. Credit to their kids, I’ve never seen a kid (Garibay) pitch that few amount of pitches in six innings. He threw strikes and we tended to hit into outs.”
Good got the start for Manteca and struck out nine. Drew Zanatto and Brandon Landwehr (1 K) closed it out.
Landwehr was able to record the final out in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded.
“I have two words: Steven Crescini,” Peterson said. “He did it for us.”
— Brandon Petersen
